Managing supplier invoices efficiently is one of the most important aspects of a stable cash flow. But many companies are still bogged down in manual processes that consume time, lead to errors, and make it difficult to maintain control.

Today, there are two common ways to receive invoices: PDF invoices and e-invoices. They may look similar on the surface, but they work very differently in practice.

Here’s a straightforward and easy-to-understand guide to help you choose the right format for your business.

• What a PDF invoice actually is and why it often involves more manual work
• How an e-invoice works and why it is the standard in modern digital invoice processing
• The key differences between PDFs and e-invoices (automation, accuracy, compliance, Peppol, efficiency)
• A clear recommendation – Which format is best suited for your business?

A PDF invoice is a digital copy of a paper invoice. It is usually sent as an attachment via email.

The big downside?

The PDF format does not contain any structured data. 

This means you need:

• OCR transcription (which is not always accurate)
• or manual entry of amounts, suppliers, dates, and account codes

PDF invoices are still common in smaller businesses, but they are far from ideal as volumes increase.

An e-invoice is a structured electronic invoice (e.g., PEPPOL BIS or Svefaktura) that is sent directly between business systems via a secure network such as Peppol.

It contains all data in a machine-readable format—no images, no PDFs, and no manual work.

To send e-invoices, you need a connection through a service provider (VAN/access point), but all modern accounting systems support this today.

In practice, more and more companies are opting for e-invoicing because it offers greater control, less paperwork, and faster processes.

In many organizations, the process becomes slow, uncertain, and full of unnecessary detours.

Here are five common mistakes and how to avoid them by adopting a smarter approach.

Unclear requests

Many investment proposals are sent as standalone emails or homemade Excel spreadsheets.
The result? Unclear costs, vague requirements, and unnecessary follow-up questions.

Here's how to avoid it:

Use standardized templates for all requests. When everyone works the same way, decisions become simpler and fairer.

Too many steps—and too many people

A request that has to go through five levels of approval risks getting stuck.
Managers are out of the office, someone forgets to respond, a question gets sent back. The process grinds to a halt.

Here's how to avoid it:

Create a digital approval workflow where each step is predefined, with automatic reminders and a clear division of responsibilities.

No traceability

Who approved this? When? What happened next?
Without traceability, it becomes difficult to follow up on decisions, especially during budget planning, audits, or post-purchase reviews.

Here's how to avoid it:

Record every step in a digital system. That way, you’ll always have a clear record of who said what and when.

Delayed decisions

The investment is important, but the decision is being delayed.
In the meantime, costs are rising, the project is stalling, or the opportunity is being lost.

Here's how to avoid it:

Use a system that reduces processing time. With clear templates, quick access, and automated workflows, you can make decisions on time without compromising on control.

No complete picture

When investments are scattered across emails, folders, or different systems, management loses track of the big picture.
It becomes difficult to make decisions based on the overall picture and historical data.

Here's how to avoid it:

Centralize all investment requests in a single system where you can search, track, and analyze them in real time.

With a digital system for investment requests, you get: